Tissue access guidewire system and method

ABSTRACT

A method and system for guiding at least a portion of a surgical device to a desired position between two tissues in a patient&#39;s body involves coupling a guidewire to the device and pulling the distal end of the guidewire to guide at least a portion of the surgical device to a desired position between the two tissues. The surgical device generally includes one or more guidewire coupling members and may comprise a tissue access device. A system may include a guidewire and a surgical device. In some embodiments, a guidewire, a tissue access device, and one or more additional devices to use with the access device may be provided. Methods, devices and systems may be used in open, less-invasive or percutaneous surgical procedures, in various embodiments.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/468,247, filed Aug. 29, 2006 entitled “TISSUE ACCESS GUIDEWIRE SYSTEMAND METHOD”, the disclosure of which is incorporated fully by reference.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/468,252, entitled “TISSUE ACCESS GUIDEWIRE SYSTEM AND METHOD”, filedAug. 29, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated fully byreference.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specificationare herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if eachindividual publication or patent application was specifically andindividually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to medical/surgical devices andmethods. More specifically, the present invention relates to a guidewiresystem and method for advancing one or more surgical devices betweentissues in a patient.

In recent years, less invasive (or “minimally invasive”) surgicaltechniques have become increasingly more popular, as physicians,patients and medical device innovators have sought to achieve similar orimproved outcomes, relative to conventional surgery, while reducing thetrauma, recovery time and side effects typically associated withconventional surgery. Developing less invasive surgical methods anddevices, however, can pose many challenges. For example, some challengesof less invasive techniques include working in a smaller operatingfield, working with smaller devices, and trying to operate with reducedor even no direct visualization of the structure (or structures) beingtreated. These challenges are compounded by the fact that target tissuesto be modified often reside very close to one or more vital, non-targettissues, which the surgeon hopes not to damage. One of the initialobstacles in any given minimally invasive procedure, therefore, ispositioning a minimally invasive surgical device in a desired locationwithin the patient to perform the procedure on one or more targettissues, while avoiding damage to nearby non-target tissues.

Examples of less invasive surgical procedures include laparoscopicprocedures, arthroscopic procedures, and minimally invasive approachesto spinal surgery, such as a number of less invasive intervertebral discremoval, repair and replacement techniques. One area of spinal surgeryin which a number of less invasive techniques have been developed is thetreatment of spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis occurs when neural and/orneurovascular tissue in the spine becomes impinged by one or morestructures pressing against them, causing one or more symptoms. Thisimpingement of tissue may occur in one or more of several differentareas in the spine, such as in the central spinal canal, or morecommonly in the lateral recesses of the spinal canal and/or one or moreintervertebral foramina.

FIGS. 1-3 show various partial views of the lower (lumbar) region of thespine. FIG. 1 shows an approximate top view of a vertebra with the caudaequina (the bundle of nerves that extends from the base of the spinalcord through the central spinal canal) shown in cross section and twonerve roots exiting the central spinal canal and extending throughintervertebral foramina on either side of the vertebra. The spinal cordand cauda equina run vertically along the spine through the centralspinal canal, while nerve roots branch off of the spinal cord and caudaequina between adjacent vertebrae and extend through the intervertebralforamina. Intervertebral foramina may also be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, andnerves extending through the foramina may be seen in FIG. 2.

One common cause of spinal stenosis is buckling and thickening of theligamentum flavum (one of the ligaments attached to and connecting thevertebrae), as shown in FIG. 1. (Normal ligamentum flavum is shown incross section in FIG. 3) Buckling or thickening of the ligamentum flavummay impinge on one or more neurovascular structures, dorsal rootganglia, nerve roots and/or the spinal cord itself. Another common causeof neural and neurovascular impingement in the spine is hypertrophy ofone or more facet joints (or “zygopophaseal joints”), which providearticulation between adjacent vertebrae. (Two vertebral facet superiorarticular processes are shown in FIG. 1. Each superior articular processarticulates with an inferior articular process of an adjacent vertebrato form a zygopophaseal joint. Such a joint is labeled in FIG. 3.) Othercauses of spinal stenosis include formation of osteophytes (or “bonespurs”) on vertebrae, spondylolisthesis (sliding of one vertebrarelative to an adjacent vertebra), facet joint synovial cysts, andcollapse, bulging or herniation of an intervertebral disc into thecentral spinal canal. Disc, bone, ligament or other tissue may impingeon the spinal cord, the cauda equina, branching spinal nerve rootsand/or blood vessels in the spine to cause loss of function, ischemiaand even permanent damage of neural or neurovascular tissue. In apatient, this may manifest as pain, impaired sensation and/or loss ofstrength or mobility.

In the United States, spinal stenosis occurs with an incidence ofbetween 4% and 6% of adults aged 50 and older and is the most frequentreason cited for back surgery in patients aged 60 and older.Conservative approaches to the treatment of symptoms of spinal stenosisinclude systemic medications and physical therapy. Epidural steroidinjections may also be utilized, but they do not provide long lastingbenefits. When these approaches are inadequate, current treatment forspinal stenosis is generally limited to invasive surgical procedures toremove ligament, cartilage, bone spurs, synovial cysts, cartilage, andbone to provide increased room for neural and neurovascular tissue. Thestandard surgical procedure for spinal stenosis treatment includeslaminectomy (complete removal of the lamina (see FIGS. 1 and 2) of oneor more vertebrae) or laminotomy (partial removal of the lamina),followed by removal (or “resection”) of the ligamentum flavum. Inaddition, the surgery often includes partial or occasionally completefacetectomy (removal of all or part of one or more facet joints). Incases where a bulging intervertebral disc contributes to neuralimpingement, disc material may be removed surgically in a discectomyprocedure.

Removal of vertebral bone, as occurs in laminectomy and facetectomy,often leaves the effected area of the spine very unstable, leading to aneed for an additional highly invasive fusion procedure that puts extrademands on the patient's vertebrae and limits the patient's ability tomove. In a spinal fusion procedure, the vertebrae are attached togetherwith some kind of support mechanism to prevent them from moving relativeto one another and to allow adjacent vertebral bones to fuse together.Unfortunately, a surgical spine fusion results in a loss of ability tomove the fused section of the back, diminishing the patient's range ofmotion and causing stress on the discs and facet joints of adjacentvertebral segments. Such stress on adjacent vertebrae often leads tofurther dysfunction of the spine, back pain, lower leg weakness or pain,and/or other symptoms. Furthermore, using current surgical techniques,gaining sufficient access to the spine to perform a laminectomy,facetectomy and spinal fusion requires dissecting through a wideincision on the back and typically causes extensive muscle damage,leading to significant post-operative pain and lengthy rehabilitation.Discectomy procedures require entering through an incision in thepatient's abdomen and navigating through the abdominal anatomy to arriveat the spine. Thus, while laminectomy, facetectomy, discectomy, andspinal fusion frequently improve symptoms of neural and neurovascularimpingement in the short term, these procedures are highly invasive,diminish spinal function, drastically disrupt normal anatomy, andincrease long-term morbidity above levels seen in untreated patients.Although a number of less invasive techniques and devices for spinalstenosis surgery have been developed, these techniques still typicallyrequire removal of significant amounts of vertebral bone and, thus,typically require spinal fusion.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have less invasive surgical methodsand systems for treating spinal stenosis. For example, it would bedesirable to have devices or systems for positioning a less invasivedevice in a patient for performing a less invasive procedure. Ideally,such systems and devices would be less invasive than currently availabletechniques and thus prevent damage to non-target vertebral bone andneural and neurovascular structures. Also ideally, such systems anddevices would also be usable (or adaptable for use) in positioning asurgical device in parts of the body other than the spine, such as injoints for performing various arthroscopic surgical procedures, betweena cancerous tumor and adjacent tissues for performing a tumor resection,and the like. At least some of these objectives will be met by thepresent invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a method for guiding at least aportion of a surgical device to a desired position between two tissuesin a patient's body may involve: advancing a distal end of a guidewireinto the patient's body, between two tissues, and out of the body, whilemaintaining a proximal end of the guidewire outside the body; couplingthe proximal end of the guidewire with at least one coupling member onor near a distal end of a surgical device; and pulling the distal end ofthe guidewire to guide at least a portion of the surgical device to adesired position between the two tissues. In some embodiments, thedistal end of the guidewire may be advanced through a guidewireintroducer device having at least one lumen. Alternatively, the distalend of the guidewire may be advanced through a guidewire lumen of thesurgical device. In some embodiments, the distal end of the guidewiremay be sharpened, to facilitate its passage through tissue. For example,in various embodiments, the distal end may be passed through tissue ofthe patient's body by pushing and turning a guidewire having adrill-shaped or corkscrew-shaped tip. In some embodiments, the guidewireis advanced into an epidural space and through an intervertebral foramenof the patient's spine.

In one embodiment, the guidewire and coupling member may be coupled byfitting a shaped proximal end of the guidewire into the at least onecoupling member at or near the distal end of the surgical device.Optionally, coupling may further involve rotating at least one of theguidewire and the surgical device to lock the shaped proximal end intothe coupling member(s). In some embodiments the guidewire and surgicaldevice may be removably coupled, while in alternative embodiments, theymay be permanently coupled.

In some embodiments, the method may further include performing asurgical procedure on at least one of the two tissues, using thesurgical device, removing the surgical device from the body. Such amethod may optionally further involve detaching the guidewire from thesurgical device, coupling the proximal end of the guidewire with acoupling member on or near a distal end of a second surgical device,pulling the distal end of the guidewire to guide at least a portion ofthe second surgical device to a desired position between the twotissues, and performing a surgical procedure on at least one of the twotissues, using the second surgical device. These steps may be repeated,in various embodiments, with as many surgical devices as desired. Insome embodiments, the surgical procedure may be performed with theguidewire attached to the surgical device. The method may furtherinclude pulling the distal end of the guidewire and a proximal end ofthe surgical device, to urge an active portion of the surgical deviceagainst a target tissue. Typically, the surgical procedure may beperformed on one or more target tissues while one or more non-targettissues are protected from harm by at least one atraumatic portion ofthe surgical device.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method for performing aprocedure on a target tissue in a patient's body may involve: coupling aproximal end of a guidewire with at least one coupling member on or neara distal end of a surgical device; pulling a distal end of the guidewireto guide at least a portion of the surgical device to a desired positionbetween the two tissues, such that an active portion of the surgicaldevice faces target tissue and an atraumatic portion of the surgicaldevice faces non-target tissue; and performing a procedure on the targettissue, using the surgical device. In some embodiments, the surgicaldevice may comprise a tissue modification device, and performing theprocedure may comprise modifying the target tissue with the tissuemodification device coupled with the guidewire. Alternatively, thesurgical device may comprise a tissue access device, and the method mayfurther involve, before the performing step, advancing a tissuemodification device through the tissue access device. Some embodimentsof the method may further involve pulling on the distal end of theguidewire and a proximal end of the surgical device to urge the activeportion of the surgical device against the target tissue.

In another aspect of the present invention, a system for guiding asurgical device to a desired position between two different tissues in ahuman body, the two tissues having a natural tissue interfacetherebetween, may include a guidewire having a first end and a secondend with an axis therebetween and a first coupling member and a surgicaldevice having a proximal end and a distal end with a second couplingmember disposed at or near the distal end, the first and second couplingmembers being separable. In one embodiment, one of the coupling membersmay comprise a receiving coupling member configured for receiving theother coupling member so as to allow the surgical device to be pulleddistally along the natural tissue interface by axial tension of theguidewire. In one embodiment, the other coupling member may comprise asmall profile portion extending from a shaped element, the shapedelement having a profile larger than the small profile portion, thereceiving coupling member comprising a channel for receiving the shapedelement and a slot for receiving the small profile portion so that theshaped element is captured by the receiving coupling member when theshaped portion is inserted into the channel and the guidewire pulls thesurgical device distally along the natural tissue interface. Optionally,the other coupling member may be disposed on the guidewire, and thesmall profile portion may comprise a portion of the shaft of theguidewire, wherein the channel is angularly offset from the axis of theguidewire when the guidewire pulls the surgical device distally so thatthe coupling members are releasably affixed together by inserting theshaped element along the channel and rotating the guidewire about arotation axis extending laterally from the axis of the guidewire.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the surgical device may beconfigured to effect blunt dissection of the natural tissue interfacebetween the first and second tissues. Also in some embodiments, thefirst coupling member may comprise a shaped element at the first end forcoupling with the at least one guidewire coupling member; and the secondend may comprise a sharpened distal tip to facilitate passage through ofthe guidewire through tissue. For example, the shaped element may have ashape such as but not limited to that of a ball, a cylinder, a teardrop,a cube, a pyramid, a diamond or a hook. The sharpened distal tip, invarious embodiments, may have a shape such as but not limited to that ofpointed, beveled, double-beveled, drill-tip shaped or corkscrew. In someemboments, the receiving coupling member may comprise at least onemovable part configured to move from an open position to a closedposition to hold the guidewire. In some embodiments, the surgical devicemay comprise a tissue access device, and the system may optionallyfurther include at least one additional surgical device configured topass at least partway through the tissue access device to help perform aprocedure on target tissue. Optionally, the system may also include aguidewire handle for coupling with the guidewire outside the body tofacilitate pulling the guidewire.

In another aspect of the present invention, a tissue access device forproviding access to target tissue in a patient's body while protectingnon-target tissue may include: a shaft having a proximal portion, adistal portion, and at least one lumen passing longitudinally through atleast the proximal portion to allow passage of at least one additionaldevice therethrough; at least one side-facing aperture in at least oneof the proximal and distal shaft portions, through which the at leastone additional device may be exposed to the target tissue; and aguidewire coupling member on the distal portion of the shaft forcoupling with a guidewire to allow the tissue access device to be pulledbehind the guidewire to position its distal portion between the targetand non-target tissues with the aperture facing the target tissue.

In various embodiments, part of the shaft may be rigid and part of theshaft may be flexible, or the entire shaft may be either rigid orflexible. For example, in some embodiments the proximal portion may berigid and the distal portion may be at least partially flexible.Optionally, a flexible distal portion may be steerable from a relativelystraight configuration to a curved configuration, and the device mayfurther include at least one steering actuator extending from theproximal portion to the distal portion. In some embodiments, the lumenmay pass through both the proximal and distal portions, and the aperturemay be located in the distal portion. Alternatively, the lumen may passthrough only the proximal portion, and the aperture may be positioned ina distal region of the proximal portion, such that when part of theadditional device passes through the aperture, it is located above thedistal portion of the shaft.

Optionally, the device may further include at least one electrodecoupled with at least one surface of the distal portion of the shaft andconfigured to stimulate nerve tissue. In some embodiments, the guidewirecoupling member may be configured to removably couple with a shapedmember at one end of a guidewire. Optionally, the device may furtherinclude a handle coupled with a proximal end of the proximal portion.

In another aspect of the present invention, a system for providingaccess to target tissue in a patient's body while protecting non-targettissue may include a tissue access device and a guidewire configured tocouple with a guidewire coupling member on the access device. The accessdevice may include: a shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion,and at least one lumen passing longitudinally through at least theproximal portion to allow passage of at least one additional devicetherethrough; at least one side-facing aperture in at least one of theproximal and distal shaft portions, through which the at least oneadditional device may be exposed to the target tissue; and a guidewirecoupling member on the distal portion of the shaft for coupling with aguidewire to allow the tissue access device to be pulled behind theguidewire to position its distal portion between the target andnon-target tissues with the aperture facing the target tissue.

In some embodiments, the guidewire may have a sharp distal tip and ashaped member on a proximal tip for coupling with the guidewire couplingmember. Optionally, the system may further include at least oneadditional device configured to pass through the tissue access device toexpose at least an active portion of the additional device through theside-facing aperture. Examples of such an additional device include, butare not limited to, tissue cutting devices, tissue ablation devices,tissue abrasion devices, other tissue removal devices, other tissuemodification devices, tissue storage devices, tissue transport devices,drug delivery devices, implant delivery devices, material deliverydevices, visualization devices and diagnostic devices.

Some embodiments of the system may further include one or more anchoringdevices for coupling the shaft of the tissue access device with astructure inside and/or outside the patient to stabilize the tissueaccess device. In some embodiments, the tissue access device may furtherinclude a handle coupled with a proximal end of the proximal shaftportion. The system may also optionally include a guidewire handle forcoupling with the guidewire outside the patient to facilitate pulling onthe guidewire to apply tensioning force.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method for providingaccess to target tissue in a patient's body while protecting non-targettissue may involve: passing a guidewire between the target andnon-target tissues; coupling the guidewire with a guidewire couplingmember on a distal portion of a tissue access device; and pulling theguidewire through the patient's body to pull the distal portion of thetissue access device between the target and non-target tissues such thata side-facing aperture of the tissue access device faces the targettissue. When the distal portion of the access device is positionedbetween the target and non-target tissues, a proximal portion of thedevice may extend outside the patient, such that at least one tissuemodification device may be passed through at least the proximal portionto expose one or more tissue modifying members through the side-facingaperture.

Optionally, the method may further include identifying at least thenon-target tissue before passing the guidewire. Also optionally, themethod may further involve: advancing a first tissue modification devicethrough the tissue access device to expose at least one tissuemodification member of the device through the side-facing aperture ofthe access device; pulling the guidewire and at least one of the tissueaccess device and the tissue modification device to urge the at leastone tissue modification member against the target tissue; and activatingthe tissue modification member(s) to modify the target tissue whileprotecting the non-target tissue with the distal portion of the accessdevice. In some embodiments, the method may further involve: removingthe first tissue modification device from the patient's body, throughthe access device; advancing a second tissue modification device throughthe tissue access device to expose at least one tissue modificationmember of the device through the side-facing aperture of the secondaccess device; pulling the guidewire and at least one of the tissueaccess device and the second tissue modification device to urge the atleast one tissue modification member against the target tissue; andactivating the tissue modification member(s) to modify the targettissue. In some embodiments, activating the tissue modificationmember(s) may involve actuating at least one actuation member on ahandle of the tissue access device. In some embodiments, the method mayfurther involve coupling the tissue access device with a structureinside and/or outside the patient, using at least one anchoring device,to stabilize the access device. The method may further involveactivating at least one electrode on the distal portion of the tissueaccess device to confirm placement of the distal portion between thetarget and non-target tissues.

These and other aspects and embodiments are described more fully belowin the Detailed Description, with reference to the attached Drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is cross-sectional view of a spine, showing a top view of alumbar vertebra, a cross-sectional view of the cauda equina, and twoexiting nerve roots;

FIG. 2 is a left lateral view of the lumbar portion of a spine withsacrum and coccyx;

FIG. 3 is a left lateral view of a portion of the lumbar spine, showingonly bone and ligament tissue and partially in cross section;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a patient's back and spine with aside view of a guidewire and tissue modification system in place forperforming a tissue removal procedure, according to one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 5A-5I illustrate one variation of a method for advancing a tissuemodifying device into a patient's body using a guidewire deliverysystem;

FIG. 6, is a cross-sectional view of a patient's back and spine and aside view of a rasp device and guidewire system, according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7, is a cross-sectional view of a patient's back and spine and aside view of an ultrasound device and guidewire system, according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8A, is a cross-sectional view of a patient's back and spine and aside view of a tissue access device with swappable tissue modificationdevices and a guidewire system, according to one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 8B-8M are side/perspective views of distal portions of a number ofdifferent devices which may be placed through/used with a tissue accessdevice such as that shown in FIG. 8A, according to various embodimentsof the present invention;

FIG. 9, is a cross-sectional view of a patient's back and spine and aside view of a tissue access device with swappable tissue modificationdevices and a guidewire system, according to an alternative embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a tissue access device coupled with aguidewire, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a tissue access device coupled with aguidewire, according to an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a tissue access device coupled with aguidewire, according to an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 13A and 13C are perspective views, and FIGS. 13B and 13D are topviews, of a distal end of a tissue modification device with guidewirecoupling member and a shaped guidewire, according to one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIGS. 14A and 14B are perspective views of a distal end of a tissuemodification device with guidewire coupling member and a shapedguidewire, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 15A and 15C are perspective views of a guidewire coupling memberand a shaped guidewire, demonstrating a method for coupling the two,according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 15B and 15D are top views of the guidewire coupling member andshaped guidewire of FIGS. 15A and 15C;

FIGS. 15E and 15F are different perspective views of the guidewirecoupling member of FIGS. 15A and 15C, without the shaped guidewire;

FIGS. 16A-16C are perspective, top and side views, respectively, of aguidewire coupling member, according to an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 16D and 16E are top views of the guidewire coupling member ofFIGS. 16A-16C and a shaped guidewire, demonstrating a method forcoupling the coupling member with a shaped guidewire, according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 17A and 17B are perspective views of a guidewire coupling member,according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 17C and 17D are top views of the guidewire coupling member ofFIGS. 17A and 17B and a shaped guidewire, demonstrating a method forcoupling the coupling member with the guidewire, according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 18A and 18B are top views of a single-cam guidewire couplingmember, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a top view of a double-cam guidewire coupling member,according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 20A-20C are top views of a movable-piece guidewire couplingmember, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21A is a perspective view, and FIGS. 21B and 21C are sidecross-sectional views, of a split-cone guidewire coupling member,according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a top view of a flat anvil guidewire coupling member,according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a top view of a corner pinch guidewire coupling member,according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a top view of an eccentric cam guidewire coupling member,according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 25A and 25B are perspective views of a hooked guidewire andreceiving guidewire coupling member, according to an alternativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 26A and 26B are perspective views of a ball-and-socket guidewireand guidewire coupling member, according to an alternative embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 27A and 27B are top and perspective views, respectively, of aspool trap guidewire coupling member, according to an alternativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 28A and 28B are side views of a semicircular ribbon guidewirecoupling member with textured guidewire, according to an alternativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a side view of a folded ribbon guidewire coupling member withtextured guidewire, according to an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 30 is a side view of a ribbon guidewire coupling member, accordingto an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a side view of a multi-point guidewire coupling member,according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 32 is a side view of a rough-surface guidewire coupling member,according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 33A-33D are side views of proximal and distal ends of variousguidewires, according to various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 34A is a perspective view of a drill-shaped distal end of aguidewire, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 34B is a side view of a guidewire as in FIG. 34A, being passedthrough a probe device; and

FIGS. 35A and 35B are perspective and exploded views of a handle forgrasping a guidewire, according to one embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of a guidewire system and method for positioning oneor more surgical devices in a patient are provided. Although thefollowing description and accompanying drawing figures generally focuson positioning various surgical devices in a spine, in alternativeembodiments, guidewire systems and methods of the present invention maybe used to position any of a number of devices in other anatomicallocations in a patient's body.

Referring to FIG. 4, one embodiment of a guidewire system 10 is showncoupled with a tissue cutting device 11 in position within a patient'sspine. Further description of various embodiments of cutting device 11may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/461,740, entitled“Multi-Wire Tissue Cutter”, and filed Aug. 1, 2006, the full disclosureof which is hereby incorporated by reference. A number of alternativeembodiments of cutting devices, many of which may be used (or adaptedfor use) with guidewire system 10, are further described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/375,265, entitled “Methods and Apparatus forTissue Modification”, and filed Mar. 13, 2006; Ser. No. 11/405,848,entitled “Mechanical Tissue Modification Devices and Methods”, and filedApr. 17, 2006; Ser. No 11/406,486, entitled “Powered Tissue ModificationDevices and Methods”, and filed Apr. 17, 2006; and Ser. No. 11/429,377,entitled “Flexible Tissue Rasp”, and filed May 4, 2006. The fulldisclosures of all of the foregoing references are hereby incorporatedby reference.

As described in further detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/461,740, tissue cutting device 11 may include a shaft 12, a proximalhandle 16, a flexible distal portion 13, two or more cutting blades 26and a guidewire coupling member 30. Guidewire system 10 may include aguidewire 32 having a sharpened tip 33 (often referred to herein as the“sharpened distal tip”) for facilitating advancement of guidewire 32through tissue. Optionally, guidewire 32 may also include a shapedmember (not visible in FIG. 4) at the end opposite sharpened tip 33(often referred to herein as the guidewire “proximal end”) for couplingwith coupling member 30. Guidewire system 10 may also include aguidewire handle 34 (or “distal handle”) for coupling with guidewire 32,which in some cases may include a tightening member 36 for securing aportion of guidewire 32 within guidewire handle 34.

In some embodiments, cutting device 11 may be advanced into a patient'sback through an incision 20, which is shown in FIG. 4 as an openincision but which may be a minimally invasive or less invasive incisionin alternative embodiments. In some embodiments, device 11 may beadvanced by coupling guidewire connector 30 with guidewire 32 that hasbeen advanced between target and non-target tissues, and then pullingguidewire 32 to pull device 11 between the tissues. Various embodimentsof such a method for delivering a device are described in further detailbelow. Generally, guidewire system 10 may be used to pull flexibledistal portion 13 into place between tissues in hard-to-reach ortortuous areas of the body, such as between a nerve root (NR) and facetjoint and through an intervertebral foramen (IF). Generally, flexibleportion 13 may be advanced to a position such that blades 26 face tissueto be cut in a tissue removal procedure (“target tissue”) and anon-cutting surface (or surfaces) of flexible portion 13 facesnon-target tissue, such as nerve and/or neurovascular tissue. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 4, blades 26 are positioned to cut ligamentumflavum (LF) and may also cut hypertrophied bone of the facet joint, suchas the superior articular process (SAP). (Other anatomical structuresdepicted in FIG. 4 include the vertebra (V) and cauda equina (CE)). Invarious alternative embodiments, flexible portion 13 may be replacedwith a curved, rigid portion, a steerable portion, a straight portionwith a distal extension or the like. The configuration, dimensions,flexibility, steerability, materials and the like of flexible portion 13may be adjusted, in alternative embodiments, depending on a type oftissue or anatomical structure to be accessed or modified.

Before or after blades 26 are located in a desired position, guidewire32 may be removably coupled with guidewire handle 34, such as by passingguidewire 32 through a central bore in handle 34 and moving tighteningmember 36 to secure a portion of guidewire 32 within handle 34. Aphysician (or two physicians or one physician and an assistant) may thenpull on proximal handle 16 and distal handle 34 to apply tensioningforce to guidewire 32 and cutting device 11 and to urge the cuttingportion of device 11 against ligamentum flavum (LF), superior articularprocess (SAP), or other tissue to be cut. Proximal handle 16 may then beactuated, such as by squeezing in the embodiment shown, to cause one orboth blades 26 to move toward one another to cut tissue. Proximal handle16 may be released and squeezed as many times as desired to remove adesired amount of tissue. When a desired amount of tissue has been cut,guidewire 32 may be released from distal handle 34, and cutter device 11and guidewire 32 may be removed from the patient's back.

With reference now to FIGS. 5A-5I, one embodiment of a method foradvancing a tissue modifying device into a patient's body using aguidewire delivery system is shown. Although this method is shown inreference to placement of a device in a spine, in various alternativeembodiments, such a method may be used to place similar or alternativetissue modification devices in other locations in a human body, such asbetween tissues in a joint space, in the abdominal cavity, or in thecarpal tunnel of the wrist, between bone and soft tissue in other partsof the body, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 5A, in one embodiment of a method for advancing atissue modifying device, a probe 40 may be inserted into a patient'sback using an open technique facilitated by retractors 42. Targettissues of a procedure, in this embodiment, may include ligamentumflavum (LF) and/or facet joint (F) tissue of a vertebra (V), which mayimpinge on non-target tissues, such as nerve root (NR) and/or caudaequina (CE), of the lumbar spine. Also depicted in FIG. 5A is anintervertebral disc (D). In FIG. 5B, a curved distal portion of probe 40has been advanced to a position between target ligamentum flavum (LF)and non-target nerve root (NR) tissues. As depicted in FIG. 5C, in someembodiments, a curved guide member 46 may next be advanced out of anaperture on the curved distal portion of probe 40. In one embodiment,for example, guide member 46 may be housed within probe and advanced outof the distal aperture by advancing a slide member 44 on the shaft ofprobe 40. Next, as shown in FIG. 5D, guidewire 32 may be advancedthrough guide member 46 and out of the patient's back, using sharpenedtip 33 to facilitate passage through the patient's back tissue. Probe 40may then be removed, as shown in FIG. 5E, leaving guidewire 32 in placebetween the target and non-target tissues, as shown in FIG. 5F. Alsoshown in FIG. 5F is a shaped member 50 (in this embodiment, a ball) onthe proximal end of guidewire 32.

Further description of methods, devices and systems for advancing aguidewire between tissues using a probe are provided in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/429,377, entitled “Spinal Access and NeuralLocalization” and filed on Jul. 13, 2006, the full disclosure of whichis hereby incorporated by reference. As described in that reference, insome embodiments, the curved distal portion of probe 40, curved guidemember 46, or both may include one, two or more electrodes to helplocate nerve tissue before placing guidewire 32. Such neurallocalization helps ensure that guidewire 32 is positioned between targetand non-target tissue, which in turn helps ensure that a tissuemodification device (or devices) placed using guidewire 32 are orientedso that a tissue modifying portion (or portions) of the device face andact on target tissue and not on non-target tissue such as neural tissue.

Referring now to FIG. 5G, once guidewire 32 is positioned betweentissues, its proximal end with shaped member 50 may be coupled with acoupling member 62 on a distal end of a tissue modification device 52.Tissue modification device 52, in one embodiment, may include a proximalhandle 54, a rigid proximal shaft portion 56, a flexible distal shaftportion 58, tissue cutting blades 60, and coupling member 62. Couplingmember 62, various embodiments of which are described in greater detailbelow, may be either attached to or formed in distal shaft portion 58.In some embodiments, such as the one depicted in FIG. 5G, to attachguidewire 32 to coupling member 62, guidewire 32 may be laid into achannel on coupling member 62, and guidewire 32 and/or distal portion 58may be rotated, relative to one another, to lock shaped member 50 intocoupling member. Various alternative embodiments for coupling guidewires32 with coupling members 62 are described in greater detail below.Before, after or during coupling of guidewire 32 and tissue modificationdevice 52, guidewire 32 may also be coupled with distal guidewire handle34, such as by advancing distal handle 34 over guidewire 32(solid-tipped arrow).

As depicted in FIG. 5H, tightening member 36 may next be moved (curved,solid-tipped arrow) to tighten distal handle 34 around guidewire 32.Distal handle 34 may then be pulled (straight, solid-tipped arrow) topull guidewire 32 and thus advance distal shaft portion 58 of tissuemodification device 52 into place between target and non-target tissuesin the spine, as shown in FIG. 5I. Once device 52 is positioned asdesired, as depicted in FIG. 5I, proximal handle 54 and distal handle 34may be pulled (straight, solid-tipped arrows), to apply tensioning forceto guidewire 32 and device 52 and thus urge flexible portion 58 andblades 60 against target tissue, such as ligamentum flavum (LF) and/orfacet joint (F) tissue. Handle 54 may then be actuated (curved,double-tipped arrow) to cause blades 60 to cut target tissue. When adesired amount of tissue is cut, guidewire 32 may be released fromdistal handle 34, and tissue modification device 52 and guidewire 32 maybe removed from the patient's back. This method for advancing tissuemodification device 52 using guidewire 32 is but one exemplaryembodiment.

Various aspects of the method embodiment just described, such as thenumber or order of steps, may be changed without departing from thescope of the invention. Furthermore, a number of alternative embodimentsof various devices and device elements are described below, which may beused in various embodiments of such a method. For example, in onealternative embodiment (not shown), probe 40 and tissue modificationdevice 52 may be combined into one device. Such a device may include aguidewire lumen through which guidewire 32 may be passed. The combineddevice may be partially inserted into a patient, and guidewire 32advanced between target and non-target tissues through the guidewirelumen. Shaped member 50 of guidewire 32 may then catch on one or morecoupling members 62 of the combined device, to allow the device to bepulled into position between the target and non-target tissues.Guidewire 32 may then further be used to help apply tensioning force tothe device to urge an active portion against target tissues. In anotheralternative embodiment, access to the intervertebral foramen may beachieved using a lateral approach, rather than a medial approach. Theseare but two examples of many alternative embodiments, and a number ofother alternatives are contemplated.

With reference now to FIG. 6, guidewire system 10 is shown with analternative embodiment of a tissue modification device 64, which mayinclude a proximal handle 66, a rigid proximal shaft portion 68, and adistal flexible shaft portion 70. Multiple abrasive members 72 and aguidewire coupling member 74 may be coupled with one side of flexibleshaft portion 70. In this embodiment, guidewire 32 may be coupled withcoupling member 74 and used to pull distal shaft portion 70 ofmodification device 64 into place between target and non-target tissues.Proximal handle 66 and distal handle 34 may then be pulled/tensioned(solid-tipped arrows) to urge abrasive members 72 against the targettissue, and handles 66, 34 may further be used to reciprocate device 64and guidewire 32 back and forth (hollow/double-tipped arrows) to modifythe target tissue. Reciprocation and tensioning may be continued until adesired amount of tissue is removed, at which point guidewire 32 may bereleased from distal handle 34, and device 64 and guidewire 32 may beremoved from the patient's back. In various embodiments, tissuemodification device 64 may include any of a number of abrasive members72, abrasive materials, or the like, which may be arrayed along distalshaft portion 70 for any desired length and in any desiredconfiguration. Further examples of abrasive members 70, materials,surfaces and the like are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/429,377, which was previously incorporated by reference. In variousalternative embodiments, shaft portions 68, 70 may both be rigid or mayboth be flexible and may have different cross-sectional shapes or thesame shape.

Referring to FIG. 7, in another alternative embodiment, an ultrasoundtissue modification device 76 may be advanced into position in apatient's back using guidewire system 10. In one embodiment, forexample, ultrasound device 76 may include a proximal handle 78, a hollowshaft 80 having a distal window 81, multiple ultrasound wires 82extending through shaft 80 and into window 81, a guidewire connector 84coupled with a tapered distal end of shaft 80, an ultrasound generator88, and a wire 86 coupling handle 78 with generator 88. Handle 78 mayinclude, for example, an ultrasound transducer, horn and/or otherultrasound transmission components. Shaft 80 may be completely rigid,completely flexible, or part rigid/part flexible, according to variousembodiments. Ultrasound energy provided by generator 88 may be convertedin handle 78 to reciprocating motion of wires 82, and reciprocatingwires 82 may be used to cut, chisel or otherwise modify soft and/or hardtissues. Further description of such an embodiment is provided in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/461,740, which was previouslyincorporated by reference. Guidewire connector 84 may comprise one of anumber of different connectors, various embodiments of which aredescribed in further detail below.

In another embodiment, and with reference now to FIG. 8A, guidewiresystem 10 may be used to pull/advance a tissue access device 90 intoplace between target and non-target tissues. Tissue access device 90,for example, may include a proximal handle 92, a hollow shaft 94 havinga distal curved portion with a distal window 96, and a guidewireconnector 98 coupled with a tapered distal end of shaft 94. As withpreviously described embodiments, shaft 94 may be flexible along itsentire length, rigid along its entire length, or rigid in part andflexible in part, and may be made of any suitable material orcombination of materials. In some embodiments, shaft 94 may also besteerable, such as with one or more pull wires or other steeringmechanisms, for example to steer or curve a distal portion of shaft 94.

Once access device 90 is in a desired position, with window 96 facingtarget tissue (such as ligamentum flavum and/or facet joint bone in thespine) and an atraumatic surface of shaft 94 facing non-target tissue,any of a number of compatible tissue modification devices 100, 101, 104or other devices may be advanced through access device 90 to perform atissue modification procedure or other functions. Such devices mayswappable in and out of access device 90 and may be in the form ofcartridges, so that various cartridges may be inserted and removed asdesired, over the course of a procedure. Examples of several tissuemodification devices are shown in FIG. 8A, including a rongeur device100, an ultrasound device 101 (including wire 102 and ultrasoundgenerator 103), and an abrasive, reciprocating device 104. Furtherexamples of tissue modification and other devices are described belowwith reference to FIGS. 8B-8M.

In one embodiment, for example, at least a distal portion of each tissuemodification device 100, 101, 104 may be flexible, and a proximalportion of each modification device 100, 101, 104 may have a lockingfeature for locking into proximal handle 92 of access device 90. Thus, agiven modification device, such as abrasive device 104, may be advancedinto handle 92 and shaft 94, so that abrasive members 105 of device 104are exposed through window 96 and locking feature 99 of device couplesand locks within handle 92. A user may then grasp handles 34 and 92,pull up to urge abrasive members 105 against target tissue, andreciprocate access device 90 and guidewire system 10 back and forth toremove target tissue. The user may then choose to remove abrasive device104 and insert one of the other devices 100, 101 to further modifytarget tissues.

In various embodiments, any of a number of tissue modification devicesand/or other devices may be provided (for example as cartridges) forused with access device 90. In some embodiments, one or more of suchdevices may be provided with access device 90 and guidewire device 10 asa system or kit. Any given tissue modification device may act on tissuein a number of different ways, such as by cutting, ablating, dissecting,repairing, reducing blood flow in, shrinking, shaving, burring, biting,remodeling, biopsying, debriding, lysing, debulking, sanding, filing,planing, heating, cooling, vaporizing, delivering a drug to, and/orretracting target tissue. Non-tissue-modifying devices or cartridges mayadditionally or alternatively be provided, such as but not limited todevices for: capturing, storing and/or removing tissue; delivering amaterial such as bone wax or a pharmacologic agent such as thrombin,NSAID, local anesthetic or opioid; delivering an implant; placing arivet, staple or similar device for retracting tissue; delivering atissue dressing; cooling or freezing tissue for analgesia or to changethe tissue's modulus of elasticity to facilitate tissue modification;visualizing tissue; and/or diagnosing, such as by using ultrasound, MRI,reflectance spectroscopy or the like. In given method, system or kit,any combination of tissue modification and/or non-tissue-modifyingdevices may be used with access device 90.

With reference now to FIGS. 8B-8M, distal portions of a number ofexemplary embodiments of devices (which may be in cartridge form in someembodiments) for use with access device 90 are shown. FIG. 8B shows adevice 430 including a sharpened, pointed, double-beveled distal tip432. Tip 432 may be advanced across window 96 of access device 90 to cuttissue. FIG. 8C shows a device 440 including a diagonal-edge distalcutting tip 442, which may be used in a similar manner to cut tissue.FIG. 8D shows a device 450 including multiple volcano-shaped abrasivemembers 452. In alternative embodiments of abrasive devices, anysuitable abrasive members or surfaces may be used. FIG. 8E, for example,shows a device 460 including a portion of a Gigli saw 462 attached tothe device's upper surface, such as by welding. Any of a number ofblades may alternatively be attached to a device, such as in the device470 shown in FIG. 8F. Here, device 470 includes a proximally placedblade 472 having a cutting edge 474, which may be advanced across window96 to cut tissue. FIG. 8G shows an alternative embodiment in which adevice 480 includes a distally placed blade 482 with a cutting edge 484that may be drawn back/retracted across window 96 to cut tissue. Inanother tissue-modifying embodiment, FIG. 8H shows a device 490including a radiofrequency (RF) loop electrode 492 for cutting tissueand extending proximally via two insulated wires 494.

With reference to FIG. 8I, in an alternative embodiment, a device 500may include a side-facing aperture 502 and a chamber 504. Device 500 maybe advanced into access device 90 to align aperture 502 with window 96and may then be used to collect tissue in chamber 504. Device 500 maythen be removed through access device 90 to remove the tissue from thepatient. This may be repeated as many times as desired, to remove cuttissue from the patient. FIG. 8J shows a device 510 having a clamp 512for delivering an implant 514. Implant 514, for example, may be aposterior decompression implant such as the X STOP® Interspinous ProcessDecompression (IPD®), offered by St. Francis Medical Technologies, Inc.®(Alameda, Calif.), a foraminal implant such as that described in PCTPatent Application Pub. No. WO 2006/042206A2, or any other suitableimplant for the spine or other area of the body. FIG. 8K shows anembodiment of a device 520 used for delivering a rivet (or “tissueanchor”) 524 through a distal aperture 522. In one embodiment, forexample, tissue anchor 524 may be anchored to bone and used to retractligamentum flavum tissue to increase the area of a space in the spine.Such a device is described in more detail, for example in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/250,332, entitled “Devices and Methods forSelective Surgical Removal of Tissue,”, and filed Oct. 15, 2004, thefull disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

In another embodiment, and with reference to FIG. 8L, a visualizationdevice 530 having a visualization element 532 may be used with accessdevice 90. Such a device may include, for example, an endoscope, fiberoptics, a camera coupled with a catheter or the like. In otherembodiments, ultrasound, MRI, spectroscopy or other diagnostic orvisualization devices may be used. FIG. 8M shows an alternativeembodiment of a device 540, which includes a distal aperture 542 throughwhich a tissue dressing 544 may be delivered. Tissue dressing 544, forexample, may include one or more fabrics, gel foam or the like. In someembodiments, one or more pharmacologic agents may be delivered throughdevice 540. Alternatively or additionally, irrigation and/or suction maybe provided through device 540. As should be apparent from the foregoingdescription, any suitable device, cartridge or combination ofdevices/cartridges may be used with access device 90 in variousembodiments.

Referring now to FIG. 9, another embodiment of a tissue access device106, which may be advanced to a position in a patient's back usingguidewire system 10, is shown. Tissue access device 106 may include, forexample, a proximal handle 107 having a hollow bore 108 and an actuator109, a hollow shaft 110 extending from proximal handle 107 and having adistal curved portion and a distal window 112, and a guidewire couplingmember 114 coupled with a tapered distal end of shaft 110. As with thepreviously described embodiment, a number of different tissuemodification devices 116, 117, 120 may be inserted and removed fromaccess device 106 to perform a tissue modification procedure, such as arongeur 116, an ultrasound device 117 (including a wire 118 andgenerator 119), and an abrasive device 120. In the embodiment of FIG. 9,however, handle 107 includes the additional feature of actuator 109,which may be used to activate one or more tissue modifying members ofvarious tissue modification devices. For example, rongeur 116 may beadvanced into hollow bore 108 and shaft 110, to position blades 121 ofrongeur 116 so as to be exposed through window 112, and to lock alocking member 115 of rongeur 116 within handle 107. Actuator 109 maythen be moved back and forth (by squeezing and releasing, in theembodiment shown) to move one or both blades 121 back and forth to cuttarget tissue. Optionally, rongeur 116 may then be removed from accessdevice 106 and a different modification device 117, 120 inserted tofurther modify target tissue. Actuator 109 may be used with somemodification devices and not others. Again, in some embodiments, accessdevice 106, guidewire system 10 and one or more modification devices116, 117, 120 may be provided as a system or kit.

With reference now to FIG. 10, a perspective view of one embodiment of atissue access device 240 is shown. Device 240 may include an elongate,hollow shaft 242 having a distal aperture 244, a distal extension 246(or “platform” or “tissue shield”) extending beyond shaft 242, and aguidewire coupling member 250 attached to distal extension 246 forcoupling with a guidewire 252. Both shaft 242 and distal extension 246may be either rigid or flexible, in various embodiments. In theembodiment shown, distal extension 246 includes multiple flexibilityslits 248 to enhance flexibility of that portion of device 240. Shaft242, distal extension 246 and guidewire coupling member 250 may be madeof any suitable material (or materials), and may be made from one pieceof material as a single extrusion or from separate pieces attachedtogether, in alternative embodiments. Suitable materials include, forexample, metals, polymers, ceramics, or composites thereof. Suitablemetals may include, but are not limited to, stainless steel (303, 304,316, 316L), nickel-titanium alloy, tungsten carbide alloy, orcobalt-chromium alloy, for example, Elgiloy® (Elgin Specialty Metals,Elgin, Ill., USA), Conichrome® (Carpenter Technology, Reading, Pa.,USA), or Phynox® (Imphy SA, Paris, France). Suitable polymers include,but are not limited to, nylon, polyester, Dacron®, polyethylene, acetal,Delrin® (DuPont, Wilmington, Del.), polycarbonate, nylon,polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and polyetherketoneketone (PEKK). Ceramicsmay include, but are not limited to, aluminas, zirconias, and carbides.

In addition to various materials, tissue access device 240 may have anydesired combination of dimensions and shapes. In some embodiments, forexample, shaft 242 and distal extension 246 have differentcross-sectional shapes, while in other embodiments, they may have thesame cross-sectional shape. Some embodiments may include additionalfeatures, such as a mechanism for changing distal extension 246 from astraight configuration to a curved configuration (such as with one ormore pull wires).

Any of a number of different surgical/tissue modification devices, suchas but not limited to those described in reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, maybe used in conjunction with tissue access device 240. Such a tissuemodification device may be used, for example, by passing the devicethrough shaft 242, such that a portion of the device extends out ofaperture 244 to perform a procedure, while distal extension 246 protectsnon-target tissue from harm. In various embodiments, multiple surgicaldevices may be passed through and used with tissue access device 240,either serially or simultaneously, depending on the configuration ofaccess device 240 and the constraints of the operating field andanatomy.

Referring to FIG. 11, in another embodiment, a tissue access device 260includes an elongate, hollow shaft 262, a handle 264, a distal aperture266, and a distal extension 270 having flexibility slits 268 and coupledwith a guidewire coupling member 272, which may be coupled with aguidewire 274. This embodiment of tissue access device 260 is similar tothe one described immediately above but includes the additional featureof handle 264, which in some embodiments may be used to actuate one ormore surgical/tissue modification devices passed through access device260.

FIG. 12 depicts another alternative embodiment of a tissue access device280, including a proximal shaft portion 282, a distal shaft portion 286,and a handle 284. Distal shaft portion 286 includes a window 288,through which a portion of a surgical/tissue modification device may beexposed to perform a procedure, and a guidewire coupling member 290,which may be coupled with a guidewire 292. As with the previouslydescribed embodiments, any of a number of surgical devices may be passedthrough and used with tissue access device 280, according to variousembodiments. Tissue modifying portions of such devices may be exposedthrough or may even extend out of window 288 to perform any of a numberof procedures, while distal shaft portion 286 otherwise protectsnon-target tissue from damage. In various embodiments, shaft portions282, 286 may both be flexible, both be rigid, or one may be flexible andthe other rigid. In one embodiment, for example, shaft 282, 286 maycomprise a flexible catheter, while in an alternative embodiment, shaft282, 286 may comprise a rigid, probe-like structure.

Any of the embodiments described in FIGS. 10-12 may further optionallyinclude one or more external support devices, which removably attach toshaft 242, 262, 282 and one or more stabilizing structures outside thepatient, such as a retractor, bed rail, or the like. Such supportdevices, such as detachable support arms, may be provided with a tissueaccess device 240, 260, 280 as part of a system or kit and may be usedto help support/stabilize the access device during use.

With reference now to FIGS. 13A-13D, one embodiment of a surgical devicedistal portion 138 with a guidewire coupling member 130 is shown inconjunction with a shaped guidewire 134. Guidewire coupling member 130may generally include a slit 131 and a bore 132. Guidewire 134 mayinclude a shaped member 136 at one end, which is shown as a ball-shapedmember 136 but may have any of a number of suitable shapes inalternative embodiments. Generally, guidewire 134 and shaped member 136may be made of any suitable material, such as but not limited to any ofa number of metals, polymers, ceramics, or composites thereof. Suitablemetals, for example, may include but are not limited to stainless steel(303, 304, 316, 316L), nickel-titanium alloy, tungsten carbide alloy, orcobalt-chromium alloy, for example, Elgiloy® (Elgin Specialty Metals,Elgin, Ill., USA), Conichrome® (Carpenter Technology, Reading, Pa.,USA), or Phynox® (Imphy SA, Paris, France). Suitable polymers includebut are not limited to nylon, polyester, Dacron®, polyethylene, acetal,Delrin® (DuPont, Wilmington, Del.), polycarbonate, nylon,polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and polyetherketoneketone (PEKK). Ceramicsmay include but are not limited to aluminas, zirconias, and carbides.Shaped member 136 may be formed by attaching a separate member to oneend of guidewire 134, such as by welding, or may be formed out of theguidewire material itself.

In the embodiment shown, guidewire 134 may be coupled with couplingmember 130 by first placing guidewire 134 through slit 131 into bore132, as shown in perspective view FIG. 13A and top view FIG. 13C.Guidewire 134 may then be pulled through bore 132 (solid-tipped arrowsin FIGS. 13A and 13C), to pull shaped member 136 into bore 132, as shownin perspective view FIG. 13B and top view FIG. 13D. As visible in FIGS.13B and 13D, bore 132 may be tapered, so that shaped member 136 mayenter bore 132 but may only travel partway through before reaching adiameter of bore 132 through which it cannot pass. In an alternativeembodiment, bore 132 may include a hard stop rather than a taper. In anycase, shaped member 136 may be pulled into bore 132 to cause it to lodgethere, and additional pulling or tensioning force may be applied toguidewire 134 without risk of pulling shaped member 136 farther throughbore 132. Guidewire 134 may thus be used to pull surgical device 138through tissue and into a desired position for performing a procedure,and may further be used to apply tensioning/pulling force to surgicaldevice 138 to help urge a tissue modifying portion of device 138 againsttarget tissues.

As with many of the embodiments described previously and hereafter,guidewire coupling member 130 may be either attached to or formed as anintegral part of surgical device distal portion 138, according tovarious embodiments. Coupling member 130 may be made of any suitablematerial, as has been mentioned previously, and may have any desireddimensions and any of a number of different configurations, some ofwhich are described in further detail below. In various embodiments,coupling member 130 may be attached to an extreme distal end of surgicaldevice 138 or may be positioned at or near the extreme distal end.Although coupling member 130 is typically attached to or extending froma top or upper surface of surgical device 138, in some embodiments itmay alternatively be positioned on a bottom/lower surface or othersurface.

In another embodiment, and with reference now to FIGS. 14A and 14B, aguidewire coupling member 140 including a slit 142 with one or morecurves 144 and a bore 143 may be attached to a surgical device distalportion 148. A guidewire 146 having a cylindrical shaped member 147 atone end may be placed through slit 142 into bore 143 and pulled distally(solid-tipped arrow), as shown in FIG. 14A. When shaped member 147 ispulled into bore 143, it is stopped by, and cannot pass through, curves144, thus allowing guidewire 146 to be used to pull device 148 intoplace between target and non-target tissues and apply tensioning force.

Referring to FIGS. 15A-15F, an alternative embodiment of a guidewirecoupling member 150 is shown with a shaped guidewire 158. Guidewirecoupling member 150 may include a transverse slit 152, an axial channel154 and a transverse bore 156. FIG. 15E shows a front perspective viewof coupling member 150, where member 150 would be mounted on a surgicaldevice such that a front side 151 would face distally and a back side153 would face proximally. FIG. 15F shows a rear perspective view ofcoupling member 150 with back side 153 and front side 151.

FIG. 15A is a rear/left perspective view, and FIG. 15B is a top view,both showing guidewire 158 with a ball-shaped member 159 being placedthrough transverse slit 152 into channel 154. Channel 154 is generallyan open portion within coupling member 150, having a diameter similar toor the same as that of slit 152, to allow guidewire 158 to be rotatedthrough coupling member 150, as depicted by the solid-tipped, curvedarrow in FIGS. 15A and 15B. Bore 159 is sized to allow ball-shapedmember 159 to travel into it to rest within coupling member 150, asshown in FIGS. 15C and 15D. Ball-shaped member 159 is sized such that,when shaped guidewire 158 is rotated into position within couplingmember 150, it cannot travel through channel 154, and is thus trappedwithin bore 156. Guidewire 158 may thus be pulled, to pull a device intoposition and/or to apply tension to the device, without guidewire 158pulling out of coupling member 150. Guidewire 158 may be disengaged fromcoupling member 150 by rotating guidewire 158, coupling member 150 orboth, to release shaped member 159 from bore 156. In one embodiment,coupling member 150 may be attached to a top surface of a distal portionof a surgical device, such as by welding, adhesive or other attachmentmeans.

An alternative embodiment of a guidewire coupling member 160 is depictedin FIGS. 16A-16E. In this embodiment, guidewire coupling member 160includes a channel 162, a central bore 164 and a side channel, as shownin perspective view FIG. 16A, top view FIG. 16B and side view FIG. 16C.Channel 162 is generally shaped and sized to allow a shaped member 169of a guidewire 168 to pass longitudinally therethrough. Central bore 164is shaped and sized to allow shaped member 169 to rotate within bore164. Side channel 166 is shaped and sized to allow guidewire 168 to passtherethrough when guidewire 168 is rotated about an axis through shapedmember 169. An angle 165 formed by channel 162 and an opposite end ofside channel 166 may be any desired angle, in various embodiments. Forexample, the angle in the embodiment shown (best seen in FIGS. 16B, 16Dand 16E) is approximately 90 degrees. In alternative embodiments, theangle could instead be less than 90 degrees or greater than 90 degrees.In one embodiment, for example, an angle of about 135 degrees may beused, while in another embodiment, an angle of about 180 degrees may beused.

As depicted in FIG. 16D, shaped member 169 of guidewire 168 may bepassed through channel 162 and into central bore 164 (hollow-tippedarrow). Guidewire 168 may then be rotated about an axis approximatelythrough shaped member 169 (solid-tipped, curved arrow). When rotated,guidewire 168 passes through side channel 166 to its end, as shown inFIG. 16E. Guidewire 168 may then be pulled, to pull a device attached tocoupling member 160 to a desired position in a patient's body, such asbetween target and non-target tissues. Rotated shaped member 169 istrapped within central bore 164, due to its shape and size, and cannotpass into either side channel 166 or channel 162. To remove guidewire168 from coupling member 160, guidewire 168 may be rotated back to theposition shown in FIG. 16D and withdrawn from coupling member 160through channel 162.

Referring now to FIGS. 17A-17D, another alternative embodiment of aguidewire coupling member 170 is shown. FIGS. 17A and 17B are frontperspective and rear perspective views, respectively, in which a channel172 and a side channel 174 of coupling member 170 may be seen. FIGS. 17Cand 17D are top views, showing coupling member 170 with an insertedguidewire 178. As seen in FIG. 17C, guidewire 178 with a shaped distalmember 179 may be advanced through channel 172 (hollow-tipped arrow), toposition shaped member 179 in a central bore 176 of coupling member 170.Guidewire 178 may then be rotated through side channel 174 about an axisapproximately about shaped member 179 (solid-tipped, curved arrow). Asshown in FIG. 17D, guidewire 178 may be rotated until it hits an end 175of side channel 174. Guidewire 178 may then be pulled to pull a deviceattached to coupling member 170, as shaped member 179 will be trappedwithin central bore 176, due to it shape and size. When desired,guidewire 178 may be removed from coupling member 170 by rotatingguidewire 178 back to the position shown in FIG. 17C and withdrawing itthrough channel 172. Channel 172 may be located at any desired angle,relative to end 175 of side channel 174. In the embodiment shown, forexample, the angle is approximately 135 degrees. As in the embodimentdescribed immediately above, channel 172 is generally shaped and sizedto allow shaped member 179 to pass longitudinally therethrough, centralbore 176 is shaped and sized to allow shaped member 179 to rotate withinbore 176, and side channel 174 is shaped and sized to allow guidewire178 to pass therethrough when guidewire 178 is rotated.

Turning to FIGS. 18A and 18B, in another alternative embodiment, aguidewire coupling member may include a cam 300 and a stationary portion306 (only a part of which is shown). Cam may 300 rotate about an axis302 from an open position (FIG. 18A), which allows a guidewire 304 topass through, to a closed position (FIG. 18B), which traps guidewire 304against stationary portion 306. In one embodiment, cam 300 mayautomatically move from open to closed positions as guidewire 304 isadvanced (hollow-tipped arrow in FIG. 18A) and may move from closed toopen positions as guidewire 304 is retracted. Some embodiments of acoupling member, such as that shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, may be usedwith a guidewire 304 that does not have a shaped member on its proximalend. Alternatively, such a coupling member may also be used with ashaped guidewire.

FIG. 19 shows an alternative embodiment of a guidewire coupling member,which includes two opposing cams 310 that rotate toward one another(curved arrows) to grip and hold a guidewire 312. As with the previousembodiment, this coupling member may be used, in various embodiments,either with a guidewire having a shaped proximal end or an unshapedguidewire 312.

Referring now to FIGS. 20A-20C, in another embodiment, a guidewirecoupling member 320 (shown in top view) may include three movablerollers 322. In an open position, as in FIG. 20A, rollers 322 may bearrayed to allow a guidewire 324 to pass through them. Rollers 322 maybe moved, relative to one another (solid-tipped arrows), to partiallyconstrain guidewire 324 (FIG. 20B) or to completely constrain guidewire324 (FIG. 20C). Rollers 322 may be moved back to the open position (FIG.20A) to release guidewire 324.

In an alternative embodiment, and referring now to FIGS. 21A-21C, aguidewire coupling member 330 may include a multi-piece cone 332 havinga core 334 with a textured inner surface 335, and a stationary portion336 having a receptacle 338 for receiving cone 332. In an open position,as in FIG. 21B, the two halves of cone 332 are separated and not wedgedinto receptacle 338, so that a guidewire 339 may be passed through core334. Cone 332 may be moved to a closed position, as in FIG. 21C, to gripguidewire 339 with textured surface 335 and prevent guidewire 339 frommoving further through core 334. In one embodiment, for example, asguidewire 339 moves through core 334, it may generate friction withtextured surface 335 and thus pull cone 332 into receptacle. As withseveral previous embodiments, guidewire 339 may either include aproximal shaped member or may not include such a member, in variousembodiments.

With reference now to FIG. 22, in another embodiment, a guidewirecoupling member 340 may include a flat anvil 342 and one or morestationary portions 344. Anvil may be moved (hollow-tipped arrow) topinch a guidewire 344 between itself and stationary portion 344.

In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 23, a guidewire couplingmember 350 may include a corner-pinch mechanism 352 and one or morestationary portions 354. Mechanism 352 may be advanced (hollow-tippedarrow) to pinch guidewire 356 against stationary member 354 and thusprevent it from moving further through coupling device 350.

Referring to FIG. 24, another embodiment of a guidewire coupling member360 is shown, which includes an eccentric cam 362 that rotates(hollow-tipped arrow) to pinch a guidewire 366 between itself and astationary portion 364.

In another embodiment, with reference to FIGS. 27A and 27B, a guidewirecoupling member 390 may include multiple spools 392, through which aguidewire 394 may pass, until a shaped member 396 on one end ofguidewire 394 gets caught. FIG. 27B shows coupling member 390 attachedwith an upper surface of a surgical device distal end 391.

In yet another embodiment, and with reference now to FIGS. 28A and 28B,a guidewire coupling member 400 may include a semi-circular ribbon 402having two apertures 404. With this embodiment of coupling member 400(as well as other embodiment described herein), a textured guidewire 406may be used. As textured guidewire 406 passes through apertures 404,friction caused by the textured surface 407 causes ribbon 402 to flatten(FIG. 28B), thus trapping guidewire 406 in apertures 404. Ribbon 402 maybe made of metal or any other suitable material, examples of which havebeen listed previously.

Referring to FIG. 29, another alternative embodiment is shown, in whicha guidewire coupling member 410 includes a folded ribbon 412 havingmultiple apertures 414. Ribbon 412 may flatten as a textured guidewire416 passes through it, thus causing apertures to trap guidewire 416.

Another embodiment of a guidewire coupling member 420 is shown in FIG.30. In this embodiment, coupling member 420 includes a curved ribbon 422with multiple apertures 424. Ribbon 422 may flatten to constrain aguidewire 426 in apertures 424, as with the previously describedembodiments. Some embodiments of such ribbon-shaped coupling members400, 410, 420 may function with a non-textured guidewire as well as, orin place of, a textured guidewire.

Referring to FIG. 31, in another embodiment, a guidewire coupling member430 for removably coupling with a guidewire 438 may include a stationaryportion 432 and a movable portion 434. Movable portion 434 may includemultiple contact members 436 or locking edges, configured to holdguidewire 438 when movable portion 434 is pushed against it(hollow-tipped arrows). Movable portion 434 may be moved using anysuitable technique or means in various embodiments. Contact members 436generally press guidewire 438 against stationary portion 432 such thatit will not move through coupling member 430 when pulled (solid-tippedarrow), thus allowing a device coupled with coupling member 430 to bepulled using guidewire 438.

In another embodiment, and with reference now to FIG. 32, a guidewirecoupling member 440 may include a stationary portion 442 and a movableportion 444, each of which has a roughened surface 446 facing oneanother. Movable portion 444 may be moved toward stationary portion 442(hollow-tipped arrows) to trap guidewire 446 in between, thus preventingguidewire 446 from moving through coupling member 440 and thus allowinga device coupled with coupling member 440 to be pulled via guidewire448.

Turning to FIGS. 33A-33D, several alternative embodiments of a guidewirefor use with various embodiments of a guidewire coupling member andguidewire system are shown. In some embodiments of a guidewire system,any of a number of currently available guidewires may be used. In otherembodiments, a textured guidewire without a shaped member on either endmay be used. Each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 33A-33D, bycontrast, has some kind of shaped member on a proximal end of theguidewire for coupling with a guidewire coupling member and some kind ofsharpened or otherwise shaped distal tip for facilitating passage of theguidewire through tissue.

In various embodiments, guidewires may comprise a solid wire, a braidedwire, a core with an outer covering or the like, and may be made of anysuitable material. For example, in one embodiment, a guidewire may bemade of Nitinol. In various alternative embodiments, guidewires may bemade from any of a number of metals, polymers, ceramics, or compositesthereof. Suitable metals, for example, may include but are not limitedto stainless steel (303, 304, 316, 316L), nickel-titanium alloy,tungsten carbide alloy, or cobalt-chromium alloy, for example, Elgiloy®(Elgin Specialty Metals, Elgin, Ill., USA), Conichrome® (CarpenterTechnology, Reading, Pa., USA), or Phynox® (Imphy SA, Paris, France). Insome embodiments, materials for guidewires or for portions or coatingsof guidewires may be chosen for their electrically conductive orthermally resistive properties. Suitable polymers include but are notlimited to nylon, polyester, Dacron®, polyethylene, acetal, Delrin®(DuPont, Wilmington, Del.), polycarbonate, nylon, polyetheretherketone(PEEK), and polyetherketoneketone (PEKK). In some embodiments, polymersmay be glass-filled to add strength and stiffness. Ceramics may includebut are not limited to aluminas, zirconias, and carbides.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 33A, a guidewire 180 includes aball-like shaped member 182 attached to its proximal end and a pointeddistal tip 184. As with all the following exemplary embodiments, shapedmember 182 may be either a separate piece attached to guidewire 180 bywelding or other means or may be a proximal end of guidewire 180, formedinto shaped member 182. FIG. 33B shows a guidewire 186 with acylindrical shaped member 188 and a beveled distal tip 190. FIG. 33Cshows a guidewire 192 with a pyramidal shaped member 194 and adouble-beveled distal tip 196. FIG. 33D shows a guidewire 198 with acubic shaped member 200 and a threaded distal tip 202. In alternativeembodiments, any of the shaped members 182, 188, 194, 200 may becombined with any of the distal tips 184, 190, 196, 202. In yet otheralternative embodiments, the shaped members and/or distal tips may haveother shapes and/or sizes. Thus, the embodiments shown in FIGS. 33A-33Dare provided primarily for exemplary purposes and should not beinterpreted to limit the scope of the invention as it is described bythe claims.

Referring now to FIGS. 34A and 34B, another embodiment of a guidewire204 may include a drill-shaped distal tip 206 with a cutting edge 208.Such a drill-shaped tip 206 may facilitate passage of guidewire 204through tissue, as shown in FIG. 34B. Guidewire 204 may be advancedthrough a probe 210 and through tissue (not shown) by simultaneouslypushing (solid-tipped, straight arrows) and twisting (hollow-tipped,curved arrows) guidewire 204 from its proximal end. Drill-shaped tip 206may facilitate passage of guidewire 204 through tissue by acting as adrill.

With reference to FIG. 35A, in some embodiments, a guidewire system mayinclude a guidewire handle 220 for grasping a guidewire outside thepatient. Such a guidewire handle 220 may include, for example, aguidewire clamping mechanism 222 housed in a central, longitudinal bore221 of handle 220 and including a central guidewire aperture 223. Handle220 may also include a lock lever 224 for tightening clamping mechanism222 around a guidewire. At some points in the present application,handles similar to handle 220 are referred to as “distal handles,” andhandles coupled with various tissue modification devices are referred toas “proximal handles.” These terms, “distal” and “proximal,” aregenerally used to distinguish the two types of handles and to denotethat one is more proximal than the other, during use, to a firstincision or entry point into a patient, through which a guidewire systemis placed and then used to pull a tissue modification device intoposition in the patient. “Distal” and “proximal,” however, are usedmerely for clarification and do not refer to the relation of any deviceto specific anatomical structures, the position of a physician/user ofthe described devices/systems, or the like. Thus, in variousembodiments, either type of handle may be “distal” or “proximal”relative to various structures, users or the like. For the purposes ofFIGS. 35A and 35B, the embodiment is described as guidewire handle 220,denoting its function of holding a guidewire.

FIG. 35B provides an exploded view guidewire handle 220. A handle body225 may be made of any suitable material and have any desired shape andsize. In various alternative embodiments, for example, handle body 220may be made from any of a number of metals, polymers, ceramics, orcomposites thereof. Suitable metals, for example, may include but arenot limited to stainless steel (303, 304, 316, 316L), nickel-titaniumalloy, tungsten carbide alloy, or cobalt-chromium alloy, for example,Elgiloy® (Elgin Specialty Metals, Elgin, Ill., USA), Conichrome®(Carpenter Technology, Reading, Pa., USA), or Phynox® (Imphy SA, Paris,France). Suitable polymers include but are not limited to nylon,polyester, Dacron®, polyethylene, acetal, Delrin® (DuPont, Wilmington,Del.), polycarbonate, nylon, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), andpolyetherketoneketone (PEKK). Ceramics may include but are not limitedto aluminas, zirconias, and carbides.

Clamping mechanism 222 may include, for example, a snap ring 226, akeeper washer 228, a flat anvil 230, and a cage barrel 232, all of whichfit within central bore 221 of handle body 225. Lock lever 224 may becoupled with a pinch screw 234 and a shoulder screw 236. When lock lever224 is turned in one direction, it pushes shoulder screw 236 againstclamping mechanism 222 to cause mechanism 222 to clamp down on aguidewire. Lock lever 224 may be turned in an opposite direction toloosen clamping mechanism 222, thus allowing a guidewire to beintroduced into or release from central guidewire aperture 223.

Although various illustrative embodiments are described above, any of anumber of changes may be made to various embodiments without departingfrom the scope of the invention as described by the claims. For example,the order in which various described method steps are performed mayoften be changed in alternative embodiments, and in other alternativeembodiments one or more method steps may be skipped altogether. Optionalfeatures of various device and system embodiments may be included insome embodiments and not in others. Therefore, the foregoing descriptionis provided primarily for exemplary purposes and should not beinterpreted to limit the scope of the invention as it is set forth inthe claims.

What we claim is:
 1. A device for guiding a surgical device to a desired position in a human body, the device comprising: a guidewire having a proximal end and a sharp and tissue penetrating distal end, and a coupling member at the proximal end, wherein the coupling member at the proximal end of the guidewire comprises a shaped element having a profile that is larger than a region of the guidewire located distal to the shaped element; an elongate body having a proximal end and a flat, thin and flexible distal end region, wherein the distal end region comprises an abrasive member on one side; and a guidewire coupling member disposed at or near the distal end of the elongate body, wherein the guidewire coupling member is configured to receive the guidewire and to secure the guidewire and the elongate body together in an end-to-end configuration so as to allow the distal end of the elongate body to be pulled distally by axial tension of the guidewire.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the elongate body is configured to effect blunt dissection of tissue.
 3. A device as in claim 1, wherein the shaped element has a shape selected from the group consisting of a ball, a cylinder, a teardrop, a cube, a pyramid, a diamond and a hook.
 4. A device as in claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal tip has a shape selected from the group consisting of pointed, beveled, double-beveled, drill-tip shaped, and corkscrew.
 5. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a guidewire handle for coupling with the guidewire outside the human body to facilitate pulling the guidewire.
 6. A device as in claim 1, wherein the guidewire coupling member comprises at least one movable part configured to move from an open position to a closed position to hold the guidewire.
 7. A device as in claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises a ribbon-shaped distal end.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the elongate body is tapered.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the elongate body is rigid.
 10. A device for guiding a surgical device to a desired position in a human body, the device comprising: an elongate body having a proximal end and a flat, thin and flexible distal end region, wherein the distal end region comprises an abrasive member on one side; and a guidewire coupling member disposed at or near the distal end of the elongate body, wherein the guidewire coupling member is configured to receive a shaped element at a proximal end of a guidewire, the shaped element having a profile that is larger than a region of the guidewire located distal to the shaped element, further wherein the guidewire coupler is configured to secure the guidewire and the elongate body together in an end-to-end configuration so as to allow the distal end of the elongate body to be pulled distally by axial tension of the guidewire.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the guidewire coupler is configured to receive a shaped element having a shape selected from the group consisting of a ball, a cylinder, a teardrop, a cube, a pyramid, a diamond and a hook.
 12. The device of claim 10, wherein the elongate body comprises a ribbon-shaped distal end.
 13. The device of claim 10, wherein the distal end of the elongate body is tapered.
 14. The device of claim 10, wherein the proximal end of the elongate body is rigid. 